Chapter 7: Wishing on Stars

Hue

June was excited to look around the city, so excited that he wasn't able to contain his energy. It was a warm, bright day, so instead of taking a taxi, we walked. Running to catch up with June who had skipped ahead, he eventually stopped in front of the park.

"Wow. How many flowers do think that is?" He asked.

"How would I know?

"You were supposed to guess."

"Well, it's got to be at least 10." June looked at me and then proceeded to slap my shoulder.

"So much violence in such a small human," I thought to myself.

"Look over there. There's even a fountain." His voice sounded happy, but his eyes were sad.

"Do you want to make a wish?" I grabbed two coins from my pocket.

"Sure, we can't tell each other our wishes, though. It's the law."

I laughed as we walked over to the fountain.

Thinking to myself, I threw my coin in, wishing only one thing. I wished to know who June was. It's been a month since we first met, but he was still a mystery. I hadn't asked him about anything since it wasn't my business, but I couldn't help but be curious. I looked over at June to see him still standing there.

"Are you okay, June?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I just zoned out." He smiled at his hand and then tossed the coin. "Done!"

We continued to walk past the various shops, full of a strange array of items that we couldn't help but laugh at. When we came across the marketplace, June was captivated by the various foods. He ultimately chose the homemade doughnuts as the thing he wanted to eat.

"Oh wow. Can I get a twisted doughnut, please?" He looked at me. "Are you going to get one?"

"I'll have the same," I said as I smiled at the stall worker.

"The sun is going down. Is there anything you would want to show me?"

"The beach? How about that?"

"The beach? Is the beach close?" He seemed excited by the thought.

"Of course. It's about a ten-minute walk that way," I pointed towards the large bridge in the distance, almost out of sight.

"Let's go. We have some time before it's dark." I wanted to show him the lights of the city.

As we reached the bridge, it was almost completely dark except for the streetlights.

"Ok, stand here and close your eyes."

"Why? Are you going to push me off? Hue, I will scream." I laughed.

"Why would I push you off? Just do as I say." I directed him to the middle of the bridge's sidewalk.

"Why do I have to close my eyes?"

"Because I said so. Stop being stubborn and do it!" I went behind him and clasped my hands over his eyes. He let his hands swing at his side.

"Ah, man. I was going to peak." He sulked.

"I know that's why my hands are over your eyes."

"How would you know? Are you a physic or something? You scare me, you know that? When can I see again? I promise not to peek," June rambled.

"Shhhhh, soon."

Just then, the city lit up. Once the sun goes down, the city lights glow.

"Ok." I removed my hands. "You can look."

I stepped to the side as his eyes scanned his surroundings. Tears welled in his eyes.

"Wow. It's beautiful, Hue. You know, ever since I was little, I've loved lights. They're like stars. I love the stars; they are the only good thing that comes out of the night."

"Why is that? The night isn't that bad." He ignored my question.

"You know, the day I got here, I was going through the woods so I could see the stars again. If I hadn't gone, I guess I wouldn't be here right now." He wiped away a tear.

"Let's go home. We can see the beach another day." I suggested and smiled at him.

"Ok."

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June

Hue and I went out into the city so I could see what was around. I was excited; I couldn't control my energy. Running ahead of Hue, I took in my surroundings. There were a lot of cars and buildings, at least a lot more than my small town. Small trees with cages around them were planted on the sidewalk, creating a beautiful song whenever the wind blew. Towards what seemed like the city center, there was a park unlike anything I'd seen before. It was covered in flowers.

"How many flowers do you think that is."

"How would I know?" He was supposed to guess, but I guess he was too stupid to understand.

"You were supposed to guess."

"Well, It's got to be at least 10."

I looked at him and slapped him. It was a funny answer nonetheless.

Further past the flowers was a big water fountain. It reminded me of my mom. When I was little, we would make a wish whenever we saw one. She always told me never to tell each other what we had wished for. That was the law she had set, and I never broke it.

Except for once

"Mommy. Can you tell me what you wished for?"

She laughed.

"Sweetheart, you know we can't! It's against the rules." Her smile had told me otherwise.

"Just this once, please. I want you to know!"

I was giddy with excitement when she said okay.

"I wished to be a good person like mommy."

"Did you?" She sounded happy, but her eyes were sad.

"No no, you don't want to be like me. Sometimes people who seem to be good have secrets that can't be told."

"What does that mean? Mommy doesn't have any secrets that I know of."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

"Do you want to make a wish?" Hue's voice snapped me back to reality.

"Sure! We can't tell each other our wishes, though. It's the law."

We walked to the fountain, where I thought long and hard about my wish. Was there something I needed? I got it.

"Are you okay, June?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I just zoned out."

I wished to find what was lost.

Looking at the coin in my hand, I tossed it in and hoped I wouldn't regret that wish in the future.

After, we walked past store after store with clothes and other stuff. One even had random giant stuffed items. One was a pickle, then a toaster, and a cat with a mustache. We couldn't help but laugh as we wandered through the bizarre scenes in the city.

After a while of walking and laughing, we reached a marketplace. It was FILLED with any food you could imagine; Apples, cake, fish, ice cream, noodles, pizza, anything I thought of was there.

My eyes landed on the doughnuts.

"Could I get a twisted doughnut, please? Are you going to get something?"

He ended up getting the same as me.

The sun was going down now. If Hue hadn't slept all day, we would've had more time; but what happened had happened.

I asked if there was anything he wanted to show me, as we had only been doing what I wanted.

"The beach." He replied

"The beach??" I hadn't been to a beach before. "Is it close?"

"Of course. It's about 10 minutes that way. Let's go. We have some time before it gets dark."

Eventually, we reached a big bridge over a large river that connected two cities.

"Alright, stand here and close your eyes."

"Why? Are you going to push me off?" Of course I knew he wouldn't, but I prepared to scream anyways just in case.

"Why would I push you off? Just do as I say."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?"

"Because I said so. Stop being stubborn and do it!" I stood facing the water when Hue covered my eyes with his hands. I was planning on peaking, but my plan was foiled.

"Ah, man. I was going to peek."

"I know that's why my hands are over your eyes." This kid.

"Ok." He removed his hands. "You can look."

I looked all around me. Lights. They were beautiful.

"Ever since I was little, I've loved lights. They're like stars."

I love the stars.

The day I showed up here. The day I went to the cabin. I had gone to see the stars.

I didn't want to miss them, just in case it was my last time. I didn't want the stars to burn out, they were too precious.